A lot of people knew Bill Speirs, and a lot of people considered him their friend.

Whenever there was a campaign to be supported, the odds were that Bill would be there, sometimes quietly in the background, but as often as not, leading the way, providing inspiration and commitment. He was a stalwart supporter of the miners and others fighting for their communities and their livelihoods, and a fierce opponent of injustice and iniquity.

He is best known for his work as the General Secretary of the STUC from 1998, but he had already made his mark on the Scottish Labour and Trade Union movement long before, working for the STUC from 1979, and through his many other political involvements. Bill was a very longstanding, firm and active friend and supporter of many international solidarity movements, such as Nicaragua and Cuba, and the Anti-Apartheid Movement and ACTSA, before, during and after his spell as General Secretary of the STUC. He had a strong commitment to the Palestinian cause and worked tirelessly to raise the issues within the labour movement and to increase public awareness of the plight of the Palestinian people.

Within the Labour Party, Bill fought for the retention of the socialist principles on which the party was founded. He was a signatory of the statement that launched the Clause IV campaign, which in turn led to the creation of the Campaign for Socialism.

As a leading light within Scotland United, he was a true Scottish socialist, supporting devolution not for any petty nationalist sentiment, but as a means to improve the lot of the working people of Scotland.

He would surely have shone as an MP or MSP, but I suspect he enjoyed being free-thinking and politically inclusive too much to get bogged down in the restrictions of parliamentary party politics.

His politics were not limited to the mainstream of political activity, and he carried his commitment into other areas such as the theatre, where he was involved with 7:84 and many cultural events. As Jack McConnell put it, “he had a belief in the power of culture to change people’s lives and to lift their aspirations.”

Bill was a good friend to many people. He was very sociable and great company. I fondly remember conferences and social events where we made merry and sang socialist songs until late into the night. And Bill knew a lot of songs, so that could be quite late.

Bill Speirs made an enormous contribution, not just to the Scottish labour movement, but to the Scotland that we have today, and to many people across the world for whose causes he fought.

He made a difference, and he will be greatly missed.

Obituary by Cathy Peattie MSP

Funeral service: 1pm at Renfrew Town Hall, Renfrew Cross, Renfrew, Renfrewshire PA4 8PF

Internment: Arkleston Cemetery, Renfrew, Arkleston Rd, Renfrew, Renfrewshire PA4 0RA

Following the funeral, there will be refreshments provided at the Prince of Wales Hall, Queen Street, Renfrew.

Family flowers only, but if people wish to make a donation in Bill’s memory, any of the following causes were dear to his heart:

• Community H.E.A.R.T. 6th Floor, Sunlight House, Quay Street, Manchester M3 3JZ (Health Education And Reconstruction Training for Southern Africa is a Registered Charity No. 1052817)
• Scottish Friends of Palestine, c/o Hugh Humphries, 31 Tinto Road, Glasgow, G43 2AL
• War on Want, Development House, 56-64 Leonard Street, LONDON EC2A 4LT
• Connolly Association

The day will be a celebration of Bill’s life, so the family are asking people not to go to any trouble to wear black or dress in a sombre fashion.

Saturday 20th June

Assemble 11am George Square, Glasgow, march off 11.30am, Rally and sing out at 12.30pm at Kelvingrove Park

The event is organised by Scotland’s for Peace and supported by a wide range of faith, trade union and peace movement organisations.

Venue:
Room W110 in the Hamish Wood Building
Glasgow Caledonian University

Chair:
Kevin Lindsay, Scottish Officer ASLEF

Speakers:
John McDonnell MP
Rozanne Foyer UNITE
Vince Mills Secretary LRC

Scottish Peoples Charter

We need Change.  We need Hope.
We need a fair Scotland and a Britain.

A fair economy for a fairer society
Progressive taxes without loopholes or tax havens.  We must own and control the main banks.  Guarantee all pensions, mortgages and savings.  Tie pensions and benefits to wages.  Give pensioners free transport and heating.  Increase the minimum wage.

More and better jobs
Defend and improve employment.  Make a massive investment in new jobs particularly in green technology for our childrens’ sake.

Decent homes for all
Create 250,000 new publicly owned homes in Scotland over the next five years.  Stop the repossessions.  Control rents.

Save and improve our services
Energy, Telecommunications, Water and Transport to be owned by all of us.  Remove profit making from the NHS.  Support our public service staff.

For fairness and justice
Equality for all.  Together against all racism and discrimination.  Equal pay for women.  End child poverty.  Give young people a future.  Free child and youth facilities, education and training for all.  Repeal the anti-trade union laws to fight poverty and inequality.

A better future starts now
No more blood and money for war.  Bring the troops home.  No more £billions for nuclear weapons. No replacement for Trident. We want massive investment for a greener, safer world.  Get rid of the debt economy in Britain and cancel the debts of the poor of the planet.

11.00am in Room W110 in the Hamish Wood Building
Glasgow Caledonian University

to be followed at 1.30pm by

Launch of the Scottish Labour Representation Committee and Scottish Peoples’ Charter

Charles Wilson Building, Glasgow University (intersection of Gibson Street, Bank Street, and Kelvin Way)

Four sessions:

• Free Palestine – end the siege of Gaza
• War and Occupation: Afghanistan, Africa, Iraq, Pakistan, Palestine …
• Nukes and Nato: Trident, Eastern Europe, The ‘Long War’ …
• War at Home and Resistance: Islamophobia, Civil Liberties, Military Families

Speakers include: Walter Wolfgang, Ghada Karmi (Palestinian campaigner), Kate Hudson (British CND), Aamer Anwar, Pauline McNeill (MSP), Sandra White (MSP)’ Bill Kidd (MSP)’ Neil Mackay (journalist) , Hossam al-Malaway (Egyptian journalist), Osama Saeed (Scottish Islamic Foundation), Rose Gentle (military families against war), Eamonn McCann (Raytheon Nine)’ Mohammad Asif (Scottish Afghan Society), Lindsey German (Stop the War Coalition), Ivona Novomestska (Czech bases campaign)

Get you ticket online now: glasgowstopwar.express.ts.com
suggested donation £5

Saturday 10 January 2009

Assemble 12:30pm East Market Street (behind Edinburgh Waverley Train Station)

March through the city centre and to the US Consulate.

Bring in-date medicine for Gaza, and spare shoes.

Supported by Stop the War Scotland, Glasgow and Edinburgh, Pauline McNeil MSP, Sandra White MSP, Muslim Association of Britain, Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Glasgow Palestine Human Rights Campaign, Lebanese Community Scotland, Scottish Afghan Society, Scottish Islamic Foundation, Scottish Friends of Palestine, and others to be confirmed.

Coaches departing Glasgow, George Square, Saturday 10 January 10:30am.  To reserve seats call: 0791 2348 366 or email: glasgowstopwar@gmail.com

For details on transport to Edinburgh from other parts of Scotland, please contact 07840101589.

For information and updates go to www.stopwar.org.uk

Saturday 29 November 2008

March Assembles 10.30am St Andrew’s in the Square (off Saltmarket).

March Off  11.00am

Rally 12 noon Glasgow Film Theatre, Rose Street , Glasgow

Speakers:     

• Grahame Smith, STUC General Secretary
• Gurjit Singh, President, NUS Scotland
• Zakia Yousaf, Glasgow Anti Racist Alliance
• Mr H S Bhari, Scottish Asian Action Committee

Chair:  Nazerin Wardrop, STUC Black Workers’ Committee

Further information  www.stuc.org. uk or tel 0141 337 8100

The newly formed Scottish Labour Representation Committee (SLRC) has vowed to launch a campaign against the linked problems of rising unemployment and the housing crisis in the wake of claims by the CBI which forecasts 9% out of work.

The SLRC will work closely with the Labour Representation Committee (LRC) in the rest of the UK to highlight and combat the failures of the economic system to provide security and social justice. In addition to individual left labour party and other activists the LRC has five unions affiliated at national level: ASLEF, BFAWU, CWU, FBU, NUM and RMT.

In Scotland the SLRC is demanding  that families who cannot pay their mortgages should have a ‘right to stay’ and that local councils should take over their property adding it to council house stock and charging rent to the family.

SLRC demands that the lack of council housing should be addressed by a major council house building programme which will help reduce the numbers of building workers and workers engaged in supplying the building trade facing redundancy.

The interim Chair of the SLRC, ASLEF’s Scottish District Organiser Kevin Lindsay said:

” The chronic lack of investment in affordable social housing stock is now being felt by families across Scotland as the greed of the banks forces more people to become homeless. Therefore the Scottish Government should start a massive home building programme to help generate employment and the future of Scotland’s social housing”

Katy Clark MP for North Ayshire and Arran said:

“There has never been a more important time for a strong Labour voice for socialist policies. We need to see more done to invest in our communities, to make sure that people don’t lose their homes as a result of repossessions and that councils are allowed once again to build the council houses which are so needed by the large numbers on council waiting lists. As we enter these difficult times we need to strengthen rights at work to give greater security.

Contact
Vince Mills Interim Secretary SLRC:  0781 461 5224
Katy Clark MP:                                  0791 431 1929

Dear Colleagues

VENEZUELAN SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE (SCOTLAND)

With reference to the above, many colleagues may recall that I, as the previous STUC President, mentioned in my Presidential Address at our Congress in April 2008 that I was going to contact like-minded colleagues to set up a Scottish Committee of the Venezuelan Information Centre.

After a period of illness I now wish to fulfill that commitment and to this end I have booked a room at the STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow for Saturday, 13 December 2008 at 10:30am to see if there is enough interest in taking the matter to the next phase.

At this stage we will not have a structured agenda as such, but perhaps consideration should be given to set up a Steering Group to take some initiatives forward.   It is vital that we work with and liaise directly with the Venezuelan Information Centre and all Trade Unions who have clear policy over solidarity with the people of Venezuela.

I sincerely trust you will use whatever resources available to you to circularise this event and to encourage as many colleagues to come along to maximise attendance.

With very best wishes in your endeavours and I look forward to seeing as many comrades as possible.

Thanking you in anticipation.

Yours sincerely
Phil McGarry
Regional Organiser – Scotland & N Ireland
RMT
180 Hope Street
GLASGOW G2 2UE

Tel:  0141-332 1117
Fax: 0141-333 9583
p.mcgarry@rmt. org.uk